Electrical apparatus for destroying insects.



rnANxLIN a. SMITH, or -rHILAnELrHIA, rENNsYLvANIA.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Fon. nEsTBoYING .INsEcTs y s pecioation o1' Letters .Patent Application nica umh 1s, 1911. serial No. 614,152.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known thatI, FRANKLIN S. Sil41TH, a citizen of the- United States, residing 1n Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Electrical A aratus for Destroying Insects, 'of-which tlg) ollowing is a specification...

My invention relates to improvements 1n electrical apparatus for destroying insects, their eggs, larvae and pupae, and ithas for its object to provide a'n apparatus for the treatment of articles which may be infested with insects, etc., which apparatus shall be be c `eaply constructed, and at the same time possess a highdegree of. efficiency.

My invention comprehends the combinasimplle in construction and may, therefore,

tion and arrangement `of parts hereinafter.

described and illustrated, it being understood, however, that changes in the detalls of construction within the scope of the claimsmay be made 'without departing from my invention.

In the drawings z-Flgure 1. is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention, certain of the parts being shown conventionally and symbolically; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the said apparatus.

Referring to the drawings :-1 designates a source of alternating electric current; 2

designates a variable resistance; and 3 a switch in the circuit 4, which includes the primary coil of a step-up transformer 5.

The variable resistance 2 and the switch 3 are in series with the source of alternating current 1 and are also in series with the primary coil of the step-up transformer 5. 6 designates a condenser which is in multiple with the secondary coil of the'stepmp transformer 5. .The spark gap 7, of known construction, is in series with the condenser and the primary coil `8 of the Tesla coil 9. The rotary member 10 of the spark gap is rotated by means of the motor 11, the said motor also performing an additional function to which reference will be made hereinafter.

. The opposite ends of the secondary7 wire of the Tesla coil 9 are connected to'binding posts or screws 12 and 13 having connection respectively with platesl14 and 15 secured upon supports 16 and 17 of any suitable insulating material'. The said parts 14 'and 15 constitute what may be termed commutators. These parts are curved, as indicated, and are located adjacent and' in o posite curved relation to the peripheries o rotatable circular wheels. 20 and 21 of. any

suitable insulating material, which wheels are mounted upon a rotatable shaft 22, also of insulating material, and by means of which the said wheels are insulated ,from the1 I remaining portions of the a paratus.

The sha 22 is supporte upon arms or 'brackets 23 and 24 uponan upright or standard 25. Theshaft 30 of the motor 11 is provided with a pinion 31 which is yin mesh with gear wheels 32 and 33, the latter bei-ng mounted upon a shaft 34 having a bevel pinion 35 which engages a bevel gear 36 upon the lower endof a continuation of the shaft 22, which continuation may or may not be integral with the shaft 22 as desired. Rotation of the shaft 34 and its pinion 35 causes rotation of the bevel gear 36 and the shaft 22 to which it is secured and thereby causes rotation or revolution of the wheels 20 and 21.

The wheels 20 and 21 are provided with metallic rods or equivalent members 38 and 39 which are located in staggered relation with respect toeach other and when brought into position opposite the parts 14 and 15 become the terminals of thesecondary of the Tesla coil.

The wheels 20 and 21 each beingsecured upon the shaft 22 are adapted to be rotated synchronously. A

It will be observed that the upper curved plate 14 is not located directly above the lower curved plate 15. These plates are substantially of the same length but the rear end of the upper one is located at a point i considerably in rear of the rear end of the bottom plate 15, the forward end of the latter project-ing a lconsiderable distance beyond the forward end of the upper plate, as is clearly shown in the drawings.

Although. the parts 14 and 15 are referred to as plates, it will be understood that while it is necessary that they should be of metal orsome form of suitable conductor, it isnot necessary that they should be in the form of plates, but they may -be in the form of wires or any other desired form. By the arrangement of the parts 38 and 39 in the manner illustrated, which parts successively become the terminals of the op-v posite Aends of the secondary \of the Tesla coil, the electrical discharges which take place between the said parts extend atan angle to a horizontal plane. lThe angle atA which the said sparks discharge preferably I have provided a conveyer 40 supported l upon revoluble Ldrums `41 and 42 which drums are sustained upon posts or standards 43 and 44. The drum 41 1s supportedv upon f a shaft 45 provided r with a drive wheel 46 over which a drive band 47 is extended from a driving wheel 48 uponv the shaft 'of the gear wheel 32. Rotation of the shaft. 32 actuates the driving belt' 47 which in turn causes revolution of the shaft- 45 to 4cause the conveyer 40 to travel over thel drums 41 and 42. `Any article placed upon one end of the conveyer 401s conveyedbetween the revoluble wheels 2 0 and 21 and. also between the opposing ends of the terminals 38 and 39. Such an article is. illustrated at 50 in the drawings. i

As the object being treated is passed between the said terminals, the electrical discharges take place through the same andcause the destruction and elimination of any objectionable insects which may infest the same.

The forms of package which is treated is immaterial and substances to be treated consists of cereals andvarious other articles as' pointed f out fully in my co-pending application led January 7 1911, Serial No.

The relation ,of the article being treated 'jupon the conveyer 40 to the terminals 38 and 39 and to the discharges between the same is such that the discharges pass through such article at an acute angle, so that the current of electricity between the terminals will not be so apt tofollow the side and end walls of a package and, therefore, will be more aptto act upon all parts of the package and the material containedA therein.`

said source of electrical energy, means for supporting an article between the said terminals, whereby the insects, eggs, larvae or pupae, which may infest the same may be destroyed.A

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a source of electrical energy, rotatablemembers means for causing rotation ofthe said members, a plurality of terminals supported on the said members, the said terminals being adapted to be moved successively past' and in proximity to `members of conducting material having operat-ive connection with the said. source of electrical energy, means for su porting and conveying articles between tiie said terminals, whereby the said articles are subjected to the action of electrical discharges between the said terminals, the insects, eggs, larvae or pupae in the said articles being thereby destroyed.

j 3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a source of elec trical energy, oppositely disposed circular members of insulating materlal carrying a plurality of terminals, means for causmg rotation of the said circular members, members of conducting material located adjacent `to the edges of the respective rotatable circula-r members, the said members of conducting material having operative connection with the said source of electrical energy whereby electrical discharges take place suc cessively between the said terminals on the v said rotatable members, and means for supporting and conveying articles between the said terminals at one side of the axis of rotation of the said rotatable members, whereby the said articles are subjected to the action of the electrical discharges between the said terminals and the insects, their eggs, larvae or pupae, which may infest the said articles, being thereby destroyed.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a source of electrical energy, oppositely disposed circular rotatable members of insulating material,

which members are provided with terminals secured at intervals tol their peripheries, means for causing rotation of the said rotatable members, relatively short members of conducting material located adjacent to the peripheries of the said circular mem bers and having connection with said source,

of electrical energy, the. said conducting members being concentric with the'said rotatable members, the said conducting members overlapping each other but one of them being located forwardly of the other so that the electrical discharges between the terminals which may be located adjacent to the said conducting members will take eiect at an acute angle to a plane parallel to the planes of the said circular members, and means for conveying articles to be treated between the said circular members and the terminals carried thereby, the said means extending between the said circularmem-` bers and at one side of the axis of rotation ofsaid members.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a source of alternating electric current, a Tesla coil having' members, segments of conducting material located adjacent to the peripheries of and being concentric with the said circular members, the forward portion of one of the said segments extending over the rear portion of the other of said segments, supports of insulating material for the said segments which segments are connected to the opposite ends of the secondary of the said Tesla coil, whereby the said segments are electrically charged and whereby electrical discharges take place between the terminals which may be voppositcly disposed with respect to the said segments, and means for supportingy and conveying articles to be treated between the said terminals carried by the said circular members whereby the insects, eggs, 'larvae or pupae'which may infest the said articles are destroyed.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for producing oscillating electrical discharges, terminals between which the said discharges take place, circular rotatable members of 1nsulating material yupon the peripheries of which the said terminals are supported at intervals, means for supporting and conveyling articles between the opposing terminals,

whereby the insects, their eggs, larvae o1" pupae, which may infest the said articles,

ymay be destroyed by the oscillating electrical discharges betfween the said terminals.

AIn testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 11th day of March, A. D. 1911. l FRANKLIN S. SMITH. In the presence ofV CARRIE E. KLEINFELDER, CYRUs N. ANDERSON. 

